8 Measures to Shut out Social Media Trolls

US President Donald Trump’s recent blocking of Chrissy Tiegen have put the spotlight firmly back on social media trolls and how it is proving to be a big time scourge. However, the democratic setup of the Internet means that people who matter will likely be trolled. What we would need to focus on is how we can encourage a positive and thriving community by maintaining our online reputation.

Let’s look at some ways in which we can shut out trolls in style

1. Ignore them

The primary reason why someone enjoys trolling is obvious – he/she wants the world to notice him/her. When this doesn’t happen, the person may resort to downright objectionable posts, replies or comments. However, if you continue ignoring the person, you would deny them the pleasure they get from your frustration. This leads to high chances that he/she will simply go away.

2. Correct them (if they are genuine)

Some upset customers may troll official social media handles if they feel their grievances are not met appropriately. The best way to counter this would be to provide enhanced customer support so that their issues are resolved. Once this is done, they will no longer troll the site.

3. Bring in humor

We love it when celebrities and brands answer their trolls with wit and humor. Such a measure will be necessary for brands who cannot choose to ignore the comments from customers. Unfortunately, in this day of marketing automation, this has a high potential to backfire. Take the case of a customer who complains that he and his luggage on two separate flights in two completely different directions, and in reply, the airline company says “Glad to hear that!”

4. Eliminate their anonymity

Trolls thrive on anonymity. By unmasking them, you are taking this power away from them. Once unmasked, they will think twice before posting objectionable post, comment, or content.

5. Use your admin power

If you own the hosting of the platform, you can choose not to publish trolls’ comments at all. You can also delete previously published trolls or ban specific members for their continued unruly behavior.

6. Present the facts

A famous example is when Apple was trolled for having iPhone 6 screens that bent when kept in the pockets. Instead of defending the trolls, Apple chose to issue a statement that this was a fact and that this problem has affected only a handful of customers. This way, they were able to diffuse a potentially flammable situation.

7. Block them

What happens when you are trolled mercilessly for nine long years? Simply block them. Even if you are a US President, you need to adopt this last- resort measure if you see that you are not able to reply appropriately to a person trolling you for long.

8. Have a ‘comments’ policy in place

If you own the site and open up the platform for the public, then you can have a strict policy enforced for the quality of comments that visitors can post. Check out one such policy in place put up on a website to guide visitors on the comments they make on the site.

These were some of the measures that you can take if you have been a victim of social media trolling. Oh yes, as for Chrissy, she is happy that the POTUS has blocked her on Twitter!